Potato-digger.



ILL. PHILLIPS.

POTATO BIGGER. APPLICATION man SEPT- II, 1915.

f 1 87 089 Patented J unlef 13, 1916.

' v INVENTOR. WITNESSES: /W Z. p 4

I a plurality of rows of potatoes.

i srA'rEs PAT T onrron. A

*JmviEs'L. PHILLIPS, oniioin'MIcH eAN.

POTATOLDIGGER;

To all whom it ma concern Be it known that I, JAMEs L. PHiLL1 s, acitizen of the United States, residing at Hope, in the county ofMidland'and State of Michigan, haveinvented -certain new and usefulImprovements in Potato-Diggers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention is }an improved machine for digging and screeningpotatoes, and similar vegetables, and'belongs to that type of machinethat is propelled by, means of draft animals, or other suitably appliedpower.

One object of the invention is to provide mechanism for simultaneouslydigging up A further object is to screen the potatoes from the earthplowed up with them.

A further object is to provide means whereby the potat'oesare depositedin rows on the surface of the ground, where they can be convenientlyremoved.

y V The invention will be hereinafter fully? 3 s'etforth andparticularly pointed out'in the 25 i V claims.

In the accompanying drawingz- Figure 1 is a side view of a machine.embodying the invention. Fig. 2 .is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is afront elevation with the front braces broken away. Fig. 4: is a rperspectiveview of the scoops or plows and their attached screeningdevice. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating the bars .employedin the constructionof the screening device.

Referring to the drawing, a frame of any suitable or preferred type isemployed, that pawl and quadrant construction illustrated a at 16. V g II In the construction illustrated, the plow member comprises twoscoop-like portions 17 projected downwardly at an angle to Specificationof LettersPaten't;

and said lever is held Patented June-13, 1916.

Application filed september 17, 19 15. Serial lilo. 51,242.

conveniently enter the ground, the side edges of vsaid scoop-like.portions being turned upwardly, as indicated at 18, to prevent a lateralmovement of the vegetables,

and to impel the vegetables to travel in a generally rearward direction.Attached to the rear edge of the plow.member-, and

extending longitudinally in a rearward din rection therefrom, isascreen. Said screen comprises a plurality of longitudinally{disposedrods 19 having. up -turnedjrear ends,

and-afseries of longitudinally. disposed rods 20,'farr anged at themiddleof the screen,

and having downturned rear ends. Said rods are connected by'crossrods21, havingupstandingends which are attached to side rods 22, saidsiderods;forminglsides for the screens and "having their rearl end's'turned'inwardly, transversely of the screen. g

-to engagethe upwardly extended ends of the rods19. In order; to holdthebasket above the surface of the ground, the same is provided withrunners, preferably formed by providing the rods 19 and 20 with loop,portions 23. In "order to completely elevate the screen from theground, when the machine isnot in use, a lever 24 is provided, a

the Same being pivotedto the frame of the machine in suitable manner andconnected to the screen by means of a suitable link 25. In operation,the machine is drawn along by the application of suitable power, and theplow member lowered so that the scooplike portions 17 will enter therows containing the vegetables to be raised, and at the same time thescreen is lowered to travel .on the runners 23; As the machine movesforward the vegetables are taken up by the scoop-like portions 17, andare caused to travel backwardly into the basket or screen. The vibrationof the machine in its travel, shakes the loose earth. from thevegetables on the screen, and said earth will fall between the rods'ofwhich the screen is constructeol, The side rods 22, and the upturnedrear ends of the rods 19 are so disposed as to gradually causethevegetables to travel toward the opening provided by the downturnedrear ends of the rods 20. The vegetables are discharged through saidremoved." It will be noted that the rods'19 are of gradually increasedlength, so as to permit the side-rods to coeperate therewith to form agradually curved guide extend- H opening in a'row, where they can bereadily I 7 I screemfthe' rods 19 (sets,withltherodsj20 between thesets.4 I

' I 'f a n thus p nsdi he nature. my

a; 6 invention and described, an (operative mannerjof construoting andusing thesarne, alth jgh without attemptingto set forth all .T-difithejfor inf-Wh c iti y made, or

I p 7 all ofzthe forms of its use, wha-tI claim is 105-;1; Avegetable'digger comprising a sup- 2 portingiframe, a plowi member attached to said frame: and provided" at it's rear end witha Screngsaid screen havingupstanding sideand rear/portions, said rear por p1 tion'stbeingtprovided: with a middle'opening j to permit discharge of 'vegetablesmoving f oer s'aidscreen; P j

. 2:.. A vegetable digger oomprisingla supporting frame, a 'plow memberattached.- to

"0 said;frame,"a-jplurality of sets of. bars ex-,

and; provided with zupturned ends, bars in.- tor-posed between js'a id-setsfof; bars provided wntilrned'gends, and means for precree "exceptat the" rear endirthereof;

frame, av pluralitye of f'sets iof a'b'ars iexventing *the' vegetablesjfrom leaving I 3.;A;.veg@t 1 d g mpri ng: a prtlhg' 'f li tmfig a"pl'owgmember" att ched to arwardly, f om 1, said "plow Vimem- 1 'fl rret in Ma aism e 7 wick, b

- e washingtonrmfl."

ber, andprovided' with upturned ends, bars interposed between said setsof bars and provided with downturned ends, and side barsfhaving theirrear ends attached to the upstanding ends of the first mentioned bars.vegetable digger comprising a sup-' porting frame, a plow memberattached to said frame, a plurality of sets of bars extending;rearwardly from said plow member interposed between said sets of barsand and provided withupturned ends, bars provided with downturned ends,and runners formed by loop portions of said rods.

5. A vegetable digger comprising a supporting frame, a plow memberattached to said frame and provided with a plurality of scoop portions,and'a screen for recelving vegetables from said plow member, said screenbeing formed with a plurality of sets p of bars extending rearwardlyfrom'the plow T1 tendingj rearwardly fromsaid plowmember member andprovided with upturned rear ends, and bars interposed between said setsof bars and provided with downturned rear.

ends. 1 t p In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presenceof twowitnesses. Y a 1 JAMES L. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses: I v j,

' WILLIAM E. CRA E,

LLOYD'T. CRANE.

addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents, i

